Business/Financial
Macau Casinos Suffer for Third Straight Month
Shares of Macau-centric casinos such as Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) and Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ:WYNN) fell on reports of weaker-than-expected Macau gambling revenue for Aug.
Sterne Agee slashed earnings estimates on both casino companies as well as on MGM Resorts Int'l (NYSE:MGM) and Melco Crown Entertainment (NASDAQ:MPEL).
Sands shares fell 5.1% to 63.10. Wynn fell 4.1% to 185.05. MGM fell 2.6% to 23.83.
Source: Investors.com
Is a Bitcoin Online Gambling Boom on the Horizon?
CoinDesk.com featured an interesting piece on Tuesday suggesting that the bitcoin gambling boom is only getting started.
Credit Suisse Gives Playtech ‘Neutral’ Rating
Online gambling software company Playtech PLC (LON:PTEC) had its stock reinstated by stock analysts at Credit Suisse as “neutral” with a current price target of GBX 780 ($12.94). Credit Suisse’s target price points to a potential upside of 8.24% from the company’s current price.
Other analysts, including Canaccord Genuity this past Thursday, have either reinstated or raised their price target on shares of Playtech PLC to a “buy” rating. In the case of Canaccord Genuity, their price target on shares rose from GBX 825 ($13.69) to GBX 840 ($13.94).
Paddy Power Profits Plummet Unfavorable Sports Results Contribute
DUBLIN, Ireland (Reuters) - Paddy Power's operating profit fell sharply in the first half of the year after a run of unfavourable sports results, but the Irish gambling company said a second-half rebound should deliver full-year earnings growth.
Paddy Power, which has more than doubled its annual profits since 2009 on an overseas expansion and a strong performance online, leads the industry in smartphone and tablet betting.
Deutsche Bank Downgrades Macau
Deutsche Bank has downgraded a number of key casinos in the Macau gambling sector as a response to slowing demand and perhaps fears of Chinese government intrusion. Earlier in the week, Gambling911.com reported on how the Chinese government has begun to crack down heavily on gambling and other so-called “vice” activities.
Amaya Gaming Releases 2nd Q Financial Results on Heels of PokerStars Acquisition
Amaya Gaming on Friday released their 2nd quarter results following the company’s acquisition of the world’s largest real money online poker company, PokerStars.com.
SECOND QUARTER AND SUBSEQUENT HIGHLIGHTS
Caesars Posts Bigger Than Expected Second Quarter Loss
LAS VEGAS (Associated Press) - Caesars Entertainment Corp on Monday reported a wider loss in its second quarter.
The Las Vegas-based company posted a loss of $466.4 million, or $3.24 per share, compared with a loss of $212.2 million, or $1.69 per share, in the same quarter a year earlier.
Losses, adjusted for costs related to mergers and acquisitions and asset impairment costs, came to $2.31 per share.
New Jetsmarter APP Lets Gamblers, Casino Execs Fly in Style for Cheap Fares
A new Florida-based company called JetSmarter has just the ticket for gamblers across the U.S. who like to take off for Las Vegas on a whim and travel in style: it has created an app so you can nab last-minute seats on private jets for stunningly low fares!
Forex Betting: Euro Drops After ECB Hold Rates Remain Unchanged
(Reuters) - The euro weakened on Thursday, undermined by the European Central Bank's saying it would leave interest rates unchanged at record lows and that the fragile economic recovery will keep the loose policy in place for an extended period.
The ECB's decision was not unexpected by the market, and it heightened the contrast in monetary policy, with the euro zone moving toward easing and the United States moving toward tightening on an improving economic outlook.
The positive sentiment on the U.S. economy was helped by better-than-expected weekly U.S. jobless claims.
Las Vegas Sands Shares Fall Fast Wednesday on Macau Worries
Las Vegas Sands entered “oversold” territory Wednesday, according to Forbes.
MGM Shares Gaining Tuesday Following Big Earnings Win News
MGM shares rose as much as 2.5% on news that the gambling resort raked in more cash in Vegas thanks to higher occupancy rates, loftier room prices and a stronger percentage of gambling wins.
The company enjoyed a per-share profit of 21 cents during the second quarter of this year following a lagging start.
MGM also owns the Mirage, Luxor and Mandalay Bay. Occupancy rates in those establishments were up 96% the last quarter, while average room rates rose to $141 from $134.
Bitcoin Domain BTC.com Sells for $1.1 Million
Domain names can still fetch top dollars as witnessed this week with the $1.1 million spent by Josh Garza of Connecticut-based mining equipment firm GAWMiners to acquire BTC.com.
Garza told Cryptocoinsnews' (CCN) that he had some "huge things in the works" for the mining world and digital currencies.
"Investors that are looking at Bitcoin will see this acquisition as another sign that it is worth investing in Bitcoin and Bitcoin related companies," Fargo wrote.
The rare domain name was exclusively brokered by Domain Guardians.
Forex Trading Alerts: Events to Watch for This Week
For those trading in Forex, Kathy Lien, Managing Director of FX Strategy for BK Asset Management, has highlighted five potentially critical events to watch for in the coming days.
Betfair’s £80m Payout Error: Who Benefitted?
The world’s largest betting exchange, Betfair, has admitted to making a £80m payout mistake during the years 2011-2013. Punters saw none of it, however.
The company admitted on Sunday that they had paid out investors in this amount in violation of accounting rules.
Betfair essentially paid out more in dividends and share buybacks than it was legally permitted to.
Web Based Binary Platform vs. Download: Advantages and Disadvantages
When trading Binary Options should I use a downloadable platform or one that is web-based?
Any fears related to using a web-based binary platform can be diminished in these modern times, as Hillel Fuld of DailyForex.com notes, especially as it applies to the trend towards cloud computing.
Bally Technologies One of the Darlings of the NYSE Friday: Share Price Skyrockets
Bally Technologies Inc. was up $17.53 to $77.70 Friday and was one of the biggest movers on the New York Stock Exchange.
The gambling equipment maker is being bought by rival Scientific Games Corp. in a deal worth $5.1 billion, including debt.
Bally shareholders will get $83.30 a share, representing a 38% premium to the stock's closing price on Thursday.
Based in Las Vegas, Bally Technologies makes slot machines, video lottery systems, table games and other products.
How to Choose the Best Binary Options Platforms for Betting
Zvezda Geek on Friday featured a series of useful tips for those looking at choosing the best binary options platforms online to support all your binary betting needs.
Speaker Line-up Announced for Inaugural Crypto Valley Summit
Industry titans, government personnel and Adam Wood, Lieutenant Governor and the Queen’s personal representative, are among more than 30 speakers due to make a powerful statement of the Isle of Man’s commitment to cryptocurrencies, as the speaker line-up for the inaugural Crypto Valley Summit is announced.
Amicus Brief Filed By Bitcoin Foundation in Miami Criminal Case
The Bitcoin Foundation announced Thursday afternoon that they have filed an amicus brief with respect to a criminal case surrounding bitcoin transactions in the state of Florida and more specifically a case involving two subjects arrested last February in Miami Beach.
9 Biggest Screw-ups in Bitcoin History
With more and more online gambling sites popping up that incorporate the anonymous digital currency bitcoin, CoinDesk.com featured an interesting piece Monday that unveils nine of the biggest screw-ups in bitcoin’s short – and some would say shaky – history.
As you can see, these aren’t just simple screw-ups.
Sands Sees Slower Than Expected Earnings: Shares Sent Reeling
Sands Las Vegas reported slower-than-expected revenue growth from its Macau operations resulting in second-quarter adjusted earnings that were $0.04 below the consensus of $0.89.
Sands traded recently at $73.02, down about one percent.
The casino company’s competitors shares were adversely affected as a result of the poor performance.
Wynn Resorts was down 1.4 percent Thursday. Wynn is expected to post second-quarter earnings in August of $1.97 per share on revenue of $1.44 billion.
Melco Crown Entertainment was also down 1.4 percent.
The Isle of Man Is Becoming Cryptocurrency Hotspot
Crypto Next plc is an Isle of Man company that wants to bring digital currencies to grassroots level by providing turn-key packages that include a company, operating and trading accounts and white label currency exchange platform, instantly overcoming regulatory and technological barriers.
Crypto Next plc is the second cryptocurrency company to launch in the Isle of Man, where the Government has openly welcomed digital currency companies; a development which is attracting cryptocurrency based businesses since the announcement on the 10th June 2014.
Gay or Nay: Atlantic City Embrace of LGBT Community Could Prove Lucrative
Atlantic City just got gayer thanks to that seaside gambling resort’s first openly gay Mayor Don Guardian, who recently declared one of the region's beaches to be "gay-friendly".
888 Holdings Forecasts Strong Earnings: Shares Rise 5 Percent
Shares in 888 Holdings rose 5 percent Wednesday on news that it was expecting a significant surge in interim earnings.
Little additional information was provided by the FTSE 250 company other that saying “continued to deliver a very strong performance and anticipates announcing ebitda for the period significantly ahead of the comparable period in the prior year”.
Macau Revenue Dips: First Decline in More Than Four Years
(Reuters) - Gambling revenue in Macau fell 3.7 percent in June on an annual basis, the first decline in more than four years, with analysts saying the soccer World Cup had diverted gamblers and their hefty bets away from the world's largest casino hub.
The southern Chinese territory of Macau, a special administrative region, like neighbouring Hong Kong, is the only place in the country casino gambling is legal.
GTECH in Talks to Buy IGT
MILAN (Reuters) - Italian lottery operator GTECH is in preliminary talks to buy Las Vegas-based International Game Technology (IGT) in a cash and shares deal that would make it a significant player in the casino slot machine business.
GTECH said on Monday it had hired advisers to help it negotiate a deal, confirming what sources told Reuters last week. It gave no value for the potential bid.
James Henderson Expected to Replace Outgoing William Hill CEO Ralph Topping
Online bookmaker William Hill is set to replace outgoing CEO Ralph Topping with the company’s current Director of Operations James Henderson, according to media reports that circulated over the weekend.
The firm downplayed rumors Monday morning, however, telling EGR Magazine they have yet to make a definitive decision.
Replacing Topping has been a priority for William Hill since announcing his retirement earlier in the year. He has been CEO of the UK’s biggest bookmaker since 2008.
Deutsche Bank Sells Cosmopolitan Vegas Casino for $1.73 Billion
(Associated Press) - Deutsche Bank AG is cutting itself free of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas resort and casino, saying it’s selling the swanky but unprofitable high-rise complex on the Strip to Blackstone Real Estate Partners VII for $1.73 billion.
The German investment bank said in a statement Thursday that the cash deal remains subject to regulatory approvals. The bank had intended to sell the property from before it even opened in 2010 and had placed The Cosmopolitan in a separate bank division devoted to winding down or selling unwanted investments.
CNBC’s Cramer Says to Get Your Money Out of IGT
In Wednesday’s lightning round, CNBC’s popular stock analyst Jim Cramer offered his advise on slot maker International Game Technology:
“Online gambling isn't taking off and there aren't a lot of new casinos being built,” said Cramer. “Therefore, I think there are better places to put money.”
Boyd Gaming Narrows 1Q loss Thanks to Positive Vegas Results
LAS VEGAS — (Associated Press) - Boyd Gaming reports its first-quarter loss narrowed thanks to improvements in Las Vegas casinos and excitement in the city's redeveloping downtown.
The casino operator reported Wednesday that it lost $6.2 million, or 6 cents per share, for the period ending March 31. A year earlier it lost $7.3 million, or 7 cents per share.
Net revenue of $708.3 million fell nearly 4 percent from $735.6 million during a year ago.
